Underwater propulsion unit



Julyv 11 1967 J. N.' GHQuGAslAN 3,330,238

UNDERWATER PROPULSION UNIT Filed July 14, 1964 5 Sheets-Sheet l l 22 26H/le /2 Fig. 3

/6 26 F'g' /06 /02v Fig. /2 Q02 Jahn N. Ghougasian llllll/l//I l N VE NTOR.

HY @una Attorney:

July l1 1967 J. N. GHoUGAslAN 3,330,238

UNDERWATER PROPULSION UNIT Filed July 14, 1964 5 SheetS-Sheet 2 Fig. 4

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\ i Y Y John N. Gougas/'an I N VE N TOR BY l aaa/way 1f n Attorneys July1l, 1967 .,1. N. GHouGAslAN l 3,330,238

UNDERWATER PROPULS ION UNIT Filed July 14, 1964 5 Sheets-Sheet Fig. 6

@6 @ff 3P 8,0 Q2

John N Ghougas/'an INVENTOR.

BY 406k.

United States Patent 3,330,238 UNDERWATER PROPULSION UNIT John N.Ghougasian, 666 W. 188th St., New York, NY. 10040 Filed July 14, 1964,Ser. No. 382,506 Claims. (Cl. 114-20) This invention relates to thepropulsion of underwater vehicles or vessels including submarines,torpedoes, underwater missiles, as well as propulsion through lluidmedium in general.

It is a primary object of the present invention to provide a method forpropelling underwater craft capable of generating therewithin Ia sourceof gas under high pressure and velocity. The underwater craft, vessel,vehicle or missile employing the method of the present invention, ispropelled by reaction thrust produced by axial ow of water and exhaustgas in an annular stream about the craft, such axial flow beingconducted within an annular shroud xed to the underwater craft andhousing therewithin the propelling unit of the present invention.

An additional object of the present invention therefore, is to provide apropelling unit capable of being readily assembled about a tubularportion of the underwater craft within which exhaust gas pressuregenerating facilities are located. The exhaust gas generating facilitiesmay be produced by ycombustion utilizing either a solid fuelmonopropellant or a biopropellant fuel such as liquid fuel and anoxidizer.

A still further object of the present invention in accordance with theforegoing objects, is to provide a propelling unit for an underwatercraft or vehicle wherein exhaust ow of gas is utilized to impartrotation to an impeller assembly in order to induce an axial ow of waterthrough flow modulators, and various blade or vane stages rotatable withthe impeller assembly producing a reaction thrust operative to propelthe craft on which the propelling unit is mounted.

In accordance with the foregoing objects, the propelling unit of thepresent invention in addition to the facility with which it may bemounted on an underwater craft, is also operative to produce propellingthrust without reliance upon any gearing and the objectionable noiseproduced incident thereto, The propelling unit may therefore be ideallysuited for missile propelling purposes wherein detection by noiseproduced in the propelling unit is to be avoided. The propelling unit ofthe present invention, also is capable of more eihciently coping withthe heat problem involved in the use of combustion fuel as the source ofpropelling energy inasmuch as propulsion is produced in connection withthe axial ow of water about the combusion chamber within which theexhaust gas under pressure is generated.

These together with other objects and advantages which will becomesubsequently apparent reside in the details of construction andoperation as more fully hereinafter described and claimed, referencebeing had to the accompanying drawings forming a part hereof, whereinlike numerals refer to like parts throughout, and in which:

FIGURE 1 is a side elevation View of the propelling unit of the presentinvention installed on one form of underwater craft.

FIGURE 2 is a partial front elevational view of the propelling unit asshown in FIGURE 1.

FIGURE 3 is a partial rear elevational View of the propelling unit asshown in FIGURE l.

FIGURE 4 is an enlarged, partial sectional View taken substantiallythrough a plane indicated by section line 4 4 in FIGURE 2.

FIGURE 5 is a partial sectional view taken substantially through a planeindicated by section line 5 5 in FIGURE 4.

FIGURE 6 is a partial transverse sectional view taken substantiallythrough a plane indicated by section line 6 6 in FIGURE 4.

FIGURE 7 is an enlarged partial sectional view taken substantiallythrough a plane indicated by section line 7 7 in FIGURE 6.

FIGURE 8 is an enlarged partial sectional view taken substantiallythrough a plane indicated by section line 8 8 in FIGURE 4.

FIGURE 9 is an enlarged partial sectional view taken substantiallythrough a plane indicated lby section line 9 9 in FIGURE 1.

FIGURE l0 is a partial side elevational View of a partially assembledpropelling unit.

FIGURE 11 is a top plan view of another for-m of underwater craftmounting a pair of propelling unit.

FIGURE l2 is a side sectional view taken substantially through a planeindicated by section line 12-.12 in FIGURE 1l.

Referring now to the drawings in detail, and initially to FIGURES l, 2and 3, it will be observed that the Ipropelling unit generally referredto by reference numeral 10 is mounted on a torpedo 12 as one form ofunderwater craft. The torpedo accordingly includes a nose portion 14within which the explosive warhead is contained and a rear guide finsection 16. The propelling unit is mounted about the tubular housing 18of the torpedo within an annular shroud 20 axially fixed to the housingintermediate the forward and rear secti-ons. The forward end 22 of theshroud will therefore receive an axial inflow of water through aplurality of circumferentially spaced rows of inlets 24 as the torpedois propelled forwardly. Propelling thrust is produced by the propellingunit by axial discharge of a mixture of exhaust gas and water from therearward end 26 of the .propelling unit, the lluid being discharged fromthe rearward end through a plurality of circumferentially spaced rows ofoutlets Referring now to FIGURES 4, 7 and 9, it will be observed thatthe annular guide or shroud 20 may be formed of two substantiallyhemispherical sections 30 to facilitate assembly .and mounting thereof,the sections 30 having overlapping portions 32 forming an externally ushsurface and interconnected by a plurality of axially spaced fasteners34. The inlets 24 at the forward end of the shroud communicate with aplurality of axial flow modulator sections 36, 38 and 40 on an impellerside of an intermediate portion of the propelling unit. A plurality ofaxial ow modulator sections 42 and 44 are in alinement with the outlets28 on the rear turbine side of the propelling unit. The modulatorsections 36, 38 and 40 are provided with axial ow passages alined withthe inlets 24 so as to conduct an axial flow of water through the shroudpreventing any vortical flow thereof. Similarly the modulator sections42 and 44 are alined with the outlets 28 for conducting axial flow offluid, the number of axial flow passages associated with the outlets 28being greater than those associated with the inlets 24 so as to reducethe restriction to flow imposed by the rear modulator sections ascompared to the forward modulator section. Flow of water into theforward end of the unit and discharge of a mixture -of exhaust gas andwater from the rear end of the unit in order to produce reaction thrust,is produced by rotation of a rotor assembly generally referred to byreference numeral 46.

The shroud 20 is mounted in radially spaced relation to the externalhousing 18 of the underwater craft so as to accommodate the rotorassembly. The housing 18 may therefore be provided intermediate the endsthereof, with an annular bearing portion 48. The bearing portion isprovided adjacent the opposite axial ends thereof, with end portions onwhich reinforced packing glands 52 are mounted. The end portions 50 arealso provided with internally threaded sections S4 are threadedlyreceiving the retaining collar members 56. Bearings 5S are seated on thecollar members 56 adjacent to the packings 52 so as to provide spacedrotatable support for an axially elongated rotor member 60. The rotormay be provided with heat arresting orifice openings 62 through which arestricted flow of water may be conducted in order to maintain thepackings S2 moist and thereby protect the bearings 58. Also mounted bythe collar members 56 in abutting relation to the flange portions 64thereof, are thrust bearings 66 between which the elongated rotor 60 isrotatable. The shroud may therefore be secured to the collar members 56at the forward and rear ends 22 and 26 by means of the fasteners 68.Fasteners 7) are also provided so as to secure the collar members 56 tothe housing 18 of the underwater craft. Referring therefore to FIGUREl0, it will be apparent that the propelling unit may be assembled byinitially securing one of the collar members 56 to the housing after itis threadedly assembled to the intermediate bearing portion 48 afterwhich the rotor 60 may be installed against the thrust bearing 66 andover the packings 52 and bearings 58. The other thrust collar 56 maythen be threadedly assembled and secured in place. The sections 30 ofthe shroud may then be 'mstalled about the rotor, and the sectionssecured together by the fasteners 34 after which the assembled shroudmay be secured to the collar members 56 by the fasteners 68.

Referring now to FIGURES 4, 5, 6 and 8, it will be observed that aturbine assembly is secured to the rotor 60 and includes an intermediatesection 70 through which rotation of the rotor assembly is induced. Theintermediate section therefore includes a plurality of circumferentiallyspaced flow passages 72 through which exhaust gas under high pressureand velocity is conducted. Conversion of the high internal energy of theexhaust gas into kinetic energy occurs within circumferentially spacedradial nozzle passages 74 formed in the bearing portion 48. It willtherefore be apparent, that the ow passages 72 are designed as impulseblading and the cross-sectional ow area of the passages are variedbetween the radially inner inlets 76 and axial outlets 78 tosubstantially convert the kinetic energy of the exhaust gases beingdischarged from the nozzle passages 74 into rotation of the rotorassembly. The intermediate section 70 of the rotor assembly is alsoprovided with circumferentially spaced axial passage 80 so as to conductthe axial flow of water therethrough from the modulator section 38 tothe modulator section 40. The intermediate section 70 of the rotorassembly is therefore disposed between the stationary modulator sections38 and 40 and is operative to produce rotation of the entire rotorassembly in response to flow of the exhaust gases through the passages72 therein discharging into the modulator section 40. Flow of water isinduced into the propelling unit through the modulator section 36 byrotation of the impeller blades of compressor blade section S2 securedwith the intermediate section 70 to the rotor 60, the blade section 82being disposed axially between the stationary modulator sections 36 and38. Axial flow of gas and water from the modulator section 40 on theother hand, is accelerated by the reaction turbine blade sections 84 and86 wherein the exhaust gas undergoes a high pressure drop. The reactionblade sections are disposed axially between the modulator sections 40and 42 and between the modulator sections 42 and 44. A mixture of gasand water therefore emerges through the outlets of modulator section 44to produce a subtsantial axial thrust for propulsion of the underwatercraft upon which the propelling unit is mounted.

Any suitable source of exhaust gas under high pressure and velocity maytherefore be generated within the underwater craft. In the formillustrated, the exhaust gas is generated within a combustion chamber 88having radially outer, circumferentially spaced outlet portscommunicating with the discharge nozzle passages 74. Any suitable fuelignition device 92 may therefore be mounted within the craft forigniting the fuel mixture supplied to the combustion chamber through aone-way valve 94 for example. Accordingly, fuel tanks may be disposed onopposite axial sides of the combustion chamber 88 for supply of the fuelmixture to the combustion chamber. For example, the fuel supply mayconsist of an inner liquid fuel reservoir 96 supplying liquid fuelthrough the outlet nozzle 98 for mixing with an oxidizer containedwithin the annular outer compartment 100. It will of course beappreciated, that other exhaust gas generating facilities and fuelsupplies may be provided.

From the foregoing description, the construction, utility and advantagesof the propelling unit of the present invention will be apparent. Thepropelling unit may therefore be mounted with ease and facility in viewof the described assembly of parts and the complete absence of anygearing or any other mechanical drive connections. The propelling unitmay also be readily associated with any fuel supply arrangement andcombustion chamber. Accordingly, the propelling unit will also beversatile as to installational location. For example, a pair ofpropelling units 102 similar in construction and operation to thepropelling unit 10, may be mounted about fuel tanks 104 and supported bylateral guide ns 106 secured to the hull 108 of a submarine craft, asshown in FIGURES l1 and l2. The ability of the propelling units toproduce thrust in a noiseless and efficient manner will therefore renderit ideally suited for underwater propulsion purposes. The propulsionunit could also be adapted for use in other fluid medium such as air.

The foregoing is considered as illustrative only of the principles ofthe invention. Further, since numerous modifications and changes willreadily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limitthe invention to the exact construction and operation shown anddescribed, and accordingly all suitable modifications and equivalentsmay be resorted to, falling within the scope of the invention asclaimed.

What is claimed as new is as follows:

1. In combination with a vehicle having a combustion chamber adapted todischarge gas under high pressure and velocity a propulsion assemblymounted on the vehicle for propulsion thereof in a uid mediumcomprising, an annular shroud xedly mounted on the vehicle, a pluralityof axially spaced ow modulators ixedly mounted wthin said shroud forlimiting flow of fluid in axial directions through the shroud, a rotorrotatably mounted on said vehicle within the shroud, impulse turbinemeans ixedly mounted on the rotor for imparting rotation to the rotor inresponse to said disch-arge of gas from the ycombustion chamber of thevehicle, impeller lblade means X- edly mounted on the rotor on one axialside of the impulse turbine means between said axially spaced owmodulators for inducing axial flow of the fluid medium into the shroud,and reaction turbine means secured to the rotor on the other axial sideof the impulse turbine means between the axially spaced flow modulatorsfor inducing axial flow yof said gas and uid medium out of the shroud toproduce axial thrust for the vehicle.

2. The combination of claim 1 wherein the flow modulators on said oneside of the impulse turbine means are more restrictive than the flowmodulators on the other side.

3. The -combination of claim 2 wherein said impulse turbine meansincludes impulse passages movable with the rotor for conductingdischarge ow of said gas, said impulse passages having radially innerinlets and axial outlets alined with the reaction turbine means,discharge nozzle means xedly mounted in alinement with the inlets andaxial passages movable with the rotor and disposed circumferentiallybetween said impulse passages for conducting ilow of uid medium into thereaction turbine means.

4. The combination of claim 1 wherein said impulse turbine meansincludes impulse passages movable with the rotor for conductingdischarge flow of said gas, said impulse passages having radially innerinlets and axial outlets alined with the turbine means, discharge nozzlemeans fxedly mounted in alinement with the inlets and axial passagesmovable with the rotor and disposed circumferentially between saidimpulse passages for conducting flow of Huid medium into the reactionturbine means.

5. In combination with a vehicle having a combustion chamber adapted todischarge gas under high pressure and velocity, a propulsion assemblymounted on the vehicle for propulsion thereof in a liquid mediumcomprising, an annular shroud ixedly mounted on the vehicle, annularbearing means fxedly mounted on the vehicle radially spacing the shroudtherefrom, an elongated rotor rotatably mounted on the bearing means, aplurality vof axially spaced flow modulators xedly mounted within saidshroud for limiting flow of uid in axial directions through the shroud,a turbine assembly secured to said rotor for rotation therewithincluding impulse passages movable with the rotor for conductingdischarge 4flow of said gas, said impulse passages having radially innerinlets and axial outlets and axial passages disposed circumferentiallybetween said impulse passages Ifor conducting il-ow of liquid mediumthrough the turbine assembly, nozzle means mounted in the bearing meansfor establishing fluid communication between said inlets and thecombustion chamber in the vehicle, blade means tixedly mounted on therotor on one axial side of the turbine assembly -between said axiallyspaced ow modulators for inducing axial iiow of the liquid medium intothe shroud, and reaction turbine means secured to the rotor on the otheraxial side of the turbine assembly between the axially spaced iiowmodulators for accelerating flow of said gas and liquid medium out ofthe shroud to produce axial thrust for the vehicle.

6. In combination with a vehicle having ya gas generator adapted todischarge gas under high pressure and velocity, a propulsion assemblymounted on the vehicle for propulsion thereof in a il'uid mediumcomprising, annular guide means iixedly mounted on the vehicle forconducting axial ow of fluid, rotor means responsive to said discharge`of gas -for substantially absorbing the kinetic energy thereof andinducing axial ow of the fluid medium through said annular guide means,and reaction turbine means driven by said rotor means within the annularguide means for accelerating said axial flow of tluid to produce axialthrust in response to discharge of said gas and uid medium from theguide means.

7. The -combination of claim 6 wherein said rotor means includes,compressor -blades inducing inilow of said tluid medium into the annularguide means and impulse tur- 'bine means disposed axially Ibetween thecompressor blades and the reaction turbine means through which said gasis discharged from the gas generator.

8. The combination of claim 7 wherein the gas generator includes nozzlemeans radially discharging said gas into the impulse turbine means inaxially spaced relation to the reaction turbine means.

'9. The combination of claim 6 wherein the gas generator includes nozzlemeans radially discharging said ga's into the rotor means in axially`spaced relation to the reaction turbine means.

10. In combination with a vehicle adapted to be propelled through afluid medium, combustion means for converting the internal energy of afuel into kinetic energy of combustion products, a rotor, impulseturbine means for substantially absorbing said kinetic energy of thecombustion products to impart rotation to the rotor, com- -pressor meansdriven by the rotor for inducing flow of said fluid medium through theimpulse turbine means, and reaction turbine means `driven by said rotorfor accelerating said How of tluid medium emerging from the impulseturbine means to impart propelling thrust to the vehicle.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,315,352 9/1919 Torazzi 114-202,402,677 6/ 1946 Davenport 60-35.6 X

BENJAMIN A. IBORCHELT, Primary Examiner. P. A. SHANLEY, AssistantExaminer.

1. IN A COMBINATION WITH A VEHICLE HAVING A COMBUSTION CHAMBER ADAPTED TO DISCHARGE GAS UNDER HIGH PRESSURE AND VELOCITY A PROPULSION ASSEMBLY MOUNTED ON THE VEHICLE FOR PROPULSION THEREOF IN A FLUID MEDIUM COMPRISING, AN ANNULAR SHROUD FIXEDLY MOUNTED ON THE VEHICLE, A PLURALITY OF AXIALLY SPACED FLOW MODULATORS FIXEDLY MOUNTED WITHIN SAID SHROUD FOR LIMITING FLOW OF FLUID IN AXIAL DIRECTIONS THROUGH THE SHROUD, A ROTOR ROTATABLY MOUNTED ON SAID VEHICLE WITHIN THE SHROUD, IMPULSE TURBINE MEANS FIXEDLY MOUNTED ON THE ROTOR FOR IMPARTING ROTATION TO THE ROTOR IN RESPONSE TO SAID DISCHARGE OF GAS FROM THE COMBUSTION CHAMBER OF THE VEHICLE, IMPELLER BLADE MEANS FIX- 